Security operatives in Delta State, Nigeria, have intercepted and destroyed a crude oil barge carrying 600 barrels of stolen crude oil, which was believed to be sewage. The barge was intercepted by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL) and handed over to the military for destruction. Despite protests by journalists about the potential environmental impact of the operation, the military went ahead and set fire to the barge, causing thick clouds of black smoke to fill the atmosphere.
The barge was allegedly used to transport the stolen crude oil to a jetty, which was 20 miles off the coast of Warri, where the military carried out the destruction. TSSNL linked the illegal operation to Mawe Services Limited, which is an entity approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to provide services within the confines of lifting sludge.
TSSNL, which is owned by former agitator, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, and Mason Engineering, had received intelligence two weeks ago about the malfeasance ongoing at the facility by Mawe Services Limited. Further intelligence revealed that a 1,000-metric-ton barge was berthing alongside its jetty, loaded with illegal crude oil declared as sludge.
According to the Executive Director, Operations and Technical, TSSNL, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, a sewage truck with the number plate JR7750XA was observed visiting the jetty twice. During its third visit, the truck was accosted by the security operatives, who found that the substance in the tank was not sewage, but crude oil. The driver of the truck was arrested and handed over to government security operatives.
The driver confessed to the destination of the contents and took the security outfit to another yard inland, also operated by Mawe Services Limited. Within Mawe Services Limited’s premises, two metallic cylindrical tanks with a capacity of about 45,000 litres each were discovered. One of the tanks was found to have been filled with crude oil, which the driver had been transferring from the barge.
Although the illegal tapping of crude oil has drastically reduced at the pipelines due to the synergy between TSSNL and security agencies, crude oil thieves have resorted to tampering with well heads to steal crude oil.
In summary, TSSNL, a security consultant engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to secure crude oil assets in the Niger Delta, intercepted a barge carrying stolen crude oil allegedly belonging to Mawe Services Limited. The operation led to the arrest of the driver of a sewage truck who was found to be transporting crude oil. The driver’s confession led to the discovery of another yard operated by Mawe Services Limited, where crude oil was being illegally stored. The operation demonstrates the determination of security operatives to curb the activities of crude oil thieves in the Niger Delta